The present invention is a new trencher plow for laying flexible pipe such as drainage pipes having perforations for subsurface drainage. The invention includes, in combination, a plow and a horizontal auger mounted in a frame or superstructure in which the plow is supported over the auger. In operation the auger is angled downwardly toward a cutting boot on the plow such angle being about 60 degrees dependant upon the depth of the trench being dug by the plow drawn immediately behind.
The auger of the invention having the usual helically distributed and angled teeth is uniquely provided with spaced projections such as lobes mounted on its teeth which during the auger rotation are effective in digging into soil. At operating speeds of the invention, the auger with its lobes is effective in throwing the soil to both sides of a trench being formed. The boot of the plow following immediately behind the auger is selected to have a width adequate to form a trench for the diameter of flexible pipe being laid. In this respect the auger acts to loosen and remove the soil in advance of the plow in preparation for final shaping of the trench by the plow. The auger is usually operated just above the level of the cut of the plow, and the plow then finishes the shaping of the trench for laying of flexible pipe thereafter.
It has been found that such cooperative operation of the auger and the plow reduces the energy requirements to form the trench to the extent that the trencher can be drawn by an ordinary farm tractor. In this respect the machine of the invention eliminates the need for two separate self driven machines namely, an auger operating machine and a separate trencher machine each driven by its own power source, which are each usually quite costly. The new machine is adaptable to being built with its own self built-in power source in which case it has been found that the power requirements are much less than the power of separate commercially available machines. Although separate commercially available self powered auger and trencher machines can be designed to operate at somewhat faster speeds, the need in most instances is not for such faster speed.
An object of the invention is to provide a trencher plow machine for laying flexible pipe which is efficient in power requirements such that it can be drawn by a conventional farm tractor.
Another object of the invention is to provide a trencher plow machine for laying pipe which is relatively simple in construction, easy to operate and low in cost compared to existing commercially available machines for such purposes.
A further object of the invention is to provide a trencher machine which by selective attachment of an appropriate plow boot is adaptable to laying flexible pipe of any of a range of sizes of pipe.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a trencher which tosses the soil to the side of a trench as it is being formed in preparation for a clean sweep by a plow in shaping the trench.
A feature of the invention is that the trencher is adaptable to being guided by a laser in forming trenches for laying pipe with a desired grade.
Another feature of the invention that the machine includes automatic adjustment for lateral tilt to assure proper operation and shaping of a trench.
A further feature of the invention is the unique provision of lobes on the auger which facilitates digging into the soil and tossing it to the sides of a trench being formed.
Still another feature of the invention lies in the fact that the auger in combination with the plow lends itself to low power consumption such that the machine can be drawn by a conventional farm tractor.
Other objects and structural features which are believed to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My invention, together with further objects and features thereof may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.